Sand-rim for automobiles.



A. E. GRAY.

SAND RIM FOR AUTOMOBILES.

APPLICATION FILED SEPT. I. 19I6. 1,24%,337. PatentedSept. 18,1917.

3 SHEETSSHEET l.

A. E. GRAY.

SAND RIM FOR AUTOMOBILES.

APPLICATION FILED SEPT. I. 1916. 1,94%33? Patented Sept. 18,1917.

3 SHEETSSHEEI' 2.

A. E. GRAY. SAND RIM FOR AUTOMOBILES. APPLICATION FILED SEPT. l. 1916.

Patented Sept. 18, 1917.

ALBERT E. GRAY, OF GOODLAND, INDIANA.

S-RI'M FOR AUTOMOBILES.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Sept. 18, rare.

Application filed September 1, 1916. Serial No. 118,097.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, ALBERT E. GRAY, a citizen of the United States, andresident of Goodland, in the county of Newton and State of Indiana. haveinvented certain new and useful Improvements in Sand-Rims forAutomobiles, of which the following is a specification.

The present invention relates to vehicle wheels and has particularreference to new and useful improvements in demountable supplementalrims ortreads for use in connection with a vehicle wheel, the primaryobject being to provide a simple and improved rim or tread for permanentor detachable association with motor vehicle wheels to afl'ordadditional tread surface therefor when in use insoggy or sandy earth.

It is well known to those skilled in the art that when heavy loads mustbe transported over bad roads and through plowed fields or over softearth the heavy motor trucks now in use encounter their greatestobstacle, the ordinary wheels becoming embedded in the earth. This isparticularly true when used in cross country work or in military use.

My invention contemplates the provision of demountable rims which may bequickly and easily attached to the existing types of motor vehiclewheels, whereby to provide a greater tread surface and consequentlyreduce the liability of the wheels becoming mired.

A further object of my invention is to provide demountable rims whichmay be associated with the various types of motor vehicle wheels now inuse, various modifications of my improved rim serving to adapt the sameto various types of wheels now in use.

A further object of my invention is to provide a rim of the classreferred to which is simple in construction, strong and durable, cheapto manufacture and economic in use.

Other objects and advantages to be derived from the use of my improveddemountable extension tread will appear from the following detaildescription and the claims, taken with an inspection of the accompanyingdrawings, in which Figure 1 is a fragmental side elevational view of avehicle wheel show ng the preferred form of my improved extension rimapplied thereto;

Fig. 2 is a vertical sectional view of the same;

Fig. 3 is a View similar to Fig. 1 of the modified form of my invention;

Fig. 1 is a transverse sectional view of the same;

Fig. 5 is a view similar to Fig. 3 showing a still further modified formof my invention;

Fig. 6 is a transverse sectional view of the same; and

Figs. 7, 8, 9, 10, 11. 12, 13, 14 and 15 are transverse sectional viewsof various modifications of the extension rim shown in Figs. 1 to 6.

Referring more particularly to the drawings and specifically to Figs. 1and 2,wherein similar characters of reference designate like andcorresponding parts, 1 designates the felly of the wheel, 2 the spokesand 3 the rim. The usual tire 1 is carried by the rim 3. Of course,anyapproved type of heavy duty tire may be associated with the rim, theform shown being only one illustration of the same.

In the form of my invention shown in Figs. 1' and 2 a pair of rings 5and 6 are provided, said rings having a plurality of rightangularbracket members 7 and 8 carried by the inner peripheral surfacesthereof, bolts 9 serving to hold the brackets rigidly to the rim. Thebrackets extend beyond the inner periphery of the folly 1 and areprovided with apertures through which one of a plurality of bolts 10 isadapted to pass, the bolts 10 having locking nuts 11 on the free endsthereof. Spring locking washers 12 are inserted between the heads of thebolts and the brackets and between the nuts and the brackets. Uponreference to Fig. 1 it will be noted that the rims 5 and 6 are dividedas at 13, the bracket at this point being slightly wider than the otherbrackets to receive a plurality of bolts 14: to engage both of theabutting ends of the rim.

Referring to the modified form of my invention illustrated in Figs. 3and 4: the usual felly 15 is shown correspr ding to the felly 1illustrated in Figs. 1 and 2. The usual rim and tire are mounted uponthe felly 15. In this form of my invention the extension treads aredesignated 16 and 17 and are right-angular in cross section to throughwhich bolts 25 pass, said bolts engaging rings 26 and 27, said ringsbeing right-angular in cross section and carrying the tread rings 28 and29, being riveted thereto as at 30. The demountable tire carrying rim isdesignated 31 and is mounted outside of the tread rings 28 and 29 asbest shown in Fig. 6. I

In the drawings the tread rings have been shown of equal widths, but, ofcourse, it Will be understood that the inner tread rings, that is, thering adjacent the body of the vehicle must necessarily be slightlynarrower than the outside ring. However, this does not materially affectthe operation of the device.

Referring specifically to Fig. 7 the felly is designated 33 and isprovided with a plurality of transverse openings 34. A demountable rim35 is provided, said rim carrying a tire 36. A wedge ring 37 isinterposed between the outer periphery of the felly and the innerperiphery of said rim 35. The tread rims are designated 38 and 39, thesame being provided with annular flanges 40 and 41 through which thefree ends of the bolt 42 pass, said bolt being arranged in one of thesaid openings 34. Of course, it is to beunderstood that there are aplurality of bolts arranged around the felly of the wheel. As indicatedat 43 the corners of the tread rims 38 and 39 engage under the rim 35and serve to retain the same in position on the felly.

Referring to Fig. 8 I provide a felly 44, the same being relativelywider than the ordinary felly and provided with a wear or "tread plate45 of an equal width. The tire carrying rim is designated 46, no tirebeing shown therein. An interior plate 47 is provided, said plate havinga plurality of bolts 48 extending radially therefrom, the free ends ofsaid bolts being riveted at 49'to the wear plate 45. A pair of retaininrings right-angular in cross section and designated 50 and 51 areprovided, a plurality of bolts, only one of which is shown anddesignated 52 passing through said retaining members.

It will be noted that by providing a wider felly and placing a treadplate thereon very good results may be obtained by either permitting thetire to remain on the rim or removing the same.

Referring specifically to Fig. 9 the felly is designated 53 and isprovided with a protecting plate 54. The tire carrying rim 55 isprovided, the same being formed with lateral annular extensions 56 and57 performing the function similar to the tread rings hereinbeforereferred to.

Referring to Fig. 10 it will be noted that this form is a slightmodification of the form shown in Fig. 8, an elongated felly 58 beingprovided on which the tire rim 59 is mounted carrying the tire 60. Awear or tread plate 61 is provided on the felly 58 for an obviouspurpose.

Referring to Fig. 11 I provide a relatively wide felly 62 provided witha wear plate 63. The tire carrying rim 64 is mounted on the plate 63,said tire carrying rim being slightly narrower than the felly. A pair oftread rings 65 are mounted adjacent the free marginal edges of the felly62, a plurality of bolts 66 extending through the felly and said ringsto retain the latter in opposite position.

In Fig. 12 I have shown a felly 67 provided with a wear plate 68 and atire carry= ing rim 69. The felly 67 is provided with a plurality oftransverse openings 70 to re,- ceive retaining bolts 71, said boltsextending through one side of a pair of channel-irons 72 and 73, saidchannel-irons forming the extension tread surface.

Referring specifically to Fig. 13 the felly 74 is shown provided with aplurality of transverse openings 75. The tire carrying rim and tire areshown and designated 76 and 77, respectively.

A pair of tread rings 78 and 79 are provided having. brackets 80 and 81riveted to the under sides thereof. Ring members 82 and 83 areinterposed between the brackets and the sides of the felly to engage therim 76 and retain the same on said felly. A bolt 84 extends through theopening and engages with the brackets and 81. It Will be noted that inthis form of my invention the tread members serve a double function,that is, act to prevent sinking of the tire and also to retain thedemountable rim on the felly.

Referring to Fig. 14 I haveshown a further modified form of my inventionfor use in connection with heavy duty trucks, wherein more than one tiretread surface is employed. In this figure I have illustrated a felly 85having a tire rim 86 thereon in which are mounted a pair of tires 87.The tread rings are formed preferably of pressed steel having treadsurfaces 88, bracing portions 89 and flange portions 90, one of aplurality of bolts being shown and designated 91, said bolts passingthrough. the flange portions 90 for retaining the said rings in positionon the felly.

Referring to Fig. 15 I have presided a Wheel having the tread surfacesassociated therewith, the wheel being cast entirely in tegral. The fellyof the wheel has been designated 92, the body portion 93 and the tire$1111 94 on which ma be mounted atire 95. A pair of annular rlngs 96 and97 are cast integrally with the felly 92 and extend therefrom acting asadditional tread surfaces. It is not thought that any lengthy discussionof the uses of my improved demounta'ble tread is at this time necessary,in view of the fact that the operation of the same is self-evident.However, I desire to direct articular attention to the extreme simplic-1ty of all of the forms of the invention, but few of the same requiringany modification of the wheel to facilitate application of thedemountable tread. -The forms of my invention shown in Figs. 1 to 6 arepreferred, particularl in view of the fact that the same may e adaptedto any of the existing types of automobile wheels without materiallalterin the structure of the wheel. Slig t alterations in the structureof a wheel felly would be necessary in the structure shown in Figs. 7,12, 13 and 14. In the remaining views the structures require difi'erenttypes of wheel fellies which necessarily means a change in structure.However, all of the structures embody the same principle, and it will benoted that when in normal use the flanges forming the tread rings do notinterfere in any manner with the running or" the vehicle.

The form of felly shown in Fig. '10 is particularly adapted for use inconnection with light trucks and the like. Thus it will be seen thatregardless of the type of truck or the load my improved demountableauxiliary tread may be readily associated with the driving and steeringwheels.

From the above description taken in connection with the accompanyingdrawings, it is thought that a clear and comprehensive understanding ofthe construction, operation and advantages of my invention may be had,and while I have shown and described the device as embodying a specificstructure, I desire that it be understood that such changes may be madein said structure as do not depart from the spirit and scope of theinvention as claimed.

Having thus fully described my invention, what I claim as new and desireto secure by Letters Patent, is

1. The combination wlth a felly, having a double tire rim thereon, of apair of annular flange members having tread surfaces and bracingportions, said members being adapted to abut said felly, said membersbeing provided with annular flanges, and a plurality of bolts extendingthrough'said flanges and engaging the inner peripheral face of the fellyto maintain said members in abutting relation with the felly.

2, The combination with a felly, of a pair of tread rings, a portion ofsaid rings adapted to abut the side of said felly, lateral extensionsextending from the upper edge of the felly engaging portions providingtread surfaces, bracing portions connecting the free ends of the lateralextension and the felly engaging portions, the bracing portions adjacentthe felly engaging portions being flattened to form annular flanges, anda plurality of bolts extending through said flanges and engaging theinner dperipheral face of the fell-y to maintain sai members in rigidposition for a purpose specified.

In testimony whereof, I afix my signature hereto.

ALBERT E. GRAY.

